


Baggins and the Three Dwarves

by Lithuen



Series: Hobbit Fairytales [1]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Goldilocks and the Three Bears Elements, Little hobbits are adventurous, Silly Fairytale, Young Bilbo, Young Ori, bilbo and ori are now friends, but fussy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-14
Updated: 2017-08-14
Packaged: 2018-12-15 05:49:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11799723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lithuen/pseuds/Lithuen
Summary: Dori, Nori, and young Ori live in a cabin in the woods north of the Shire. They come across a young hobbit and take him in one night. The opinionated little hobbit has much to say about their life. *A retelling of Goldilocks and the three bears*





	Baggins and the Three Dwarves

**Author's Note:**

> I've seen a lot of fairytale style AU's for this fandom and wanted to try making a contribution. No romance or violence to be found here, just a feel good family oriented tale. I hope you enjoy, as I had a lot of fun writing this one.

Once upon a time, in a world much like our own, there lived a little hobbit in a cozy hobbit hole. He lived with his mother and his father, and though he had no siblings he was quite content with his lot. The little hobbit was a curious fellow, with curly golden hair and bright blue eyes that watched everything around him in endless wonder. He was friendly and fearless, raised as he was in a place that knew not the harshness of the rest of the world, and it was both blessing and curse...

Bilbo, as the little hobbit was called, loved to wander about out of doors. He would stay out from the first gleaming of dawn, until the land was bathed in the scarlet of the sunset, bringing the fireflies swirling into the house after him when at last he returned home. So it was that his parents seldom saw him some days, and it was only when night fell truly and the stars sprinkled across the darkening skies, that they began to worry about their absent child's whereabouts.

What had happened was this. Bilbo, full of the energy that comes from drinking in the fresh air of a new day, had decided on the lofty goal of exploring the forest to the north this day. More specifically, he was looking for elves, because all the tales said that the fair folk walked beneath these spreading trees. With all the confidence of a child, he set out at a fair pace, sometimes running, other times ambling along as he got distracted by a colorful flower, or the chattering of a squirrel. As a result of this, he was soon quite lost, and he had gone far deeper into the forest than he intended. Indeed, when he got his wits about him, it was to the realization that the sun was beginning its descent, and he was all alone...

For what seemed like hours, the small boy slunk through the underbrush, searching for a familiar sight, and beginning to jump in fright at the night sounds that surrounded him. The hoot of an owl was nearly his undoing, and he squeaked in fear before clapping his hands firmly over his mouth to stifle the noise. He knew the tales of hobbits who went into the forest at night, told at bedtime to scare little ones into obedience. Those that ventured out into the world after dark did not return, and his over active imagination gave him no end of ideas as to why. Every shadow was another monster, every rustle in the brush was a bear, or a goblin.

Bilbo began to sincerely regret all the books he read as he stumbled on in the growing dark, but he was distracted from his thoughts by a much larger noise than all the rest. The sound of footfalls was unmistakable, and he crouched low, whimpering in fear despite himself. Eyes closed, the hobbit prayed it was one of the elves he had looked for, reasoning that they would be safe. When a voice hailed him, it was not at all what he expected...

"Well, what have we here? Brother, look, it's a little one all alone!" 

Hands swept him up, and Bilbo screamed and opened his eyes, trembling with cold and terror, before stopping short at the odd sight. The man that held him was not much taller than his own father, with the strangest hair he had ever seen, all done up in points like a star. If Bilbo had been less afraid he might have laughed at the sight, but he was being leveled with a sharp look, and he did not know what to make of this person that now held him. He briefly wondered if he should try and make an escape, but another voice drew his attention, nearly reminding him of his own parents with its concerned tone.

"Dear me, at this time of night? Where did you come from little one?" Seeing that Bilbo was still frightened, he offered a calming smile. "Do not fear, you are safe with us. I'm Dori, and this is my brother Nori."

"What is he? His feet are funny!" A young voice piped up from somewhere below Bilbo's dangling toes, and he strained to get a look at the one that had made such an odd comment. There was nothing funny about his feet, they were perfectly normal. The speaker turned out to be a small boy, likely not much older than himself, clad in sturdy boots and pants, and wrapped in a wool sweater. The outfit was complete with woolen mitts and a cheery scarf, and the colors served to brighten Bilbo's mood enough to answer the question politely.

"I'm a hobbit!" he stated proudly. "I was out here looking for elves," he informed them then, before giving the trio a calculating look. "You're not elves," he accused, earning a bark of laughter from the one that held him.

"Of course not! We're dwarves," the youngest replied, sounding almost indignant as he defended himself.

"Dwarves!" Bilbo crowed, forgetting his earlier mission in the delight of meeting another of the races from his stories. He shivered then, the night air biting through his thin shirt, and the ones who had found him were abustle in concern.

"Come, lets take this conversation inside," Dori urged them, pulling off his own scarf to drape around the little hobbit. It was large enough to nearly serve as a blanket, and Bilbo clutched it to him appreciatively.

They were shortly entering a cozy dwelling concealed among a thicker cluster of trees, and the night was shut out behind them. Bilbo was placed on the wooden floor, and he stood uncertainly for a moment, watching the elder two as they started a fire, until little Ori pulled him over to the woven rug that was spread before the hearth. Bilbo was happy to sit down, his legs aching from the days activities, and the feel of soft wool was a delight to his bare toes. "Why don't you wear shoes?" Ori asked him curiously, the small dwarfling barely restraining himself from reaching out to touch the soft hair that coated the tops of Bilbo's large feet.

Bilbo felt nearly scandalized at the mere thought, of horrid leather constraining his sturdy feet, but when he turned to answer the dwarf, he got his first look at Ori's very different ones. The young one had taken off his boots, and as Bilbo watched he peeled off thick socks, to reveal almost delicate, pale skin. Bilbo was equally as fascinated by this as the other, and almost forgot to answer. "Hobbits don't need boots," he said frankly. "We have strong feet, good for walking anywhere." He felt his to be a fine specimen of his kind, and wiggled his toes, as if in emphasis of his statement. "Maybe if you went around without shoes your feet could get strong too," he mused innocently, triggering a glimmer of interest from his cautious companion.

"Oh, could I nadad?" the little one called out to his elder brothers.

Nori chuckled at the wide-eyed plea, giving a subtle nod of assent, even as Dori absently agreed, though it was clear from his bustling around the stove that he had likely not heard the request. The middle brother much looked forward to the battle of wills once it came to light what he had actually agreed to, having a liking for a certain amount of harmless trouble. It alleviated the boredom, whenever Dori would begin his mother-henning, and the times when Ori would get it into his head to be rebellious. It was rare, as the youngest Ri was quite a docile lad, but Nori felt he would grow to have a spine of mithril despite his meek ways.

* * *

  
"Alright you three," Dori interrupted. "Dinner is just about ready. Nori, could you help with the table please?" He scooped food onto four small plates, while Nori willingly grabbed cutlery and mugs of cool water from the pump, before settling the two young ones side by side on the largest chair they had. There were only the three chairs in the house, but the two were so small that they could share for the night.

They had just begun eating, when to Nori's great amusement, their small hobbit guest made an involuntary face of disapproval, placing his fork down on his plate and glaring at the food as if it had offended him. It was nothing like his mothers cooking, and though he had nothing against the content itself, it was a soggy pile upon his plate, leaving him more than a little dispirited. "Something wrong laddie?" Dori asked worriedly, noting instantly that Bilbo was fussing.

The hobbit muttered something unintelligible, followed by a slightly louder, "...don't want to be rude..."

Pretending he had misheard, Nori grinned. "Don't worry, I don't like soggy food either," he placated the boy, ignoring Dori's squawk of indignation. He proceeded to gather it up, before casting its contents on to the eldest's plate, and then replacing it with some of his own food. "Try this, it's much better," he assured the lad with a wink.

Bilbo looked suspicious for a moment, before reaching out with his hands as the others did and grabbing up a small bit of meat. He chewed for several long minutes, after which a long-suffering sigh of defeat left his lips, along with the only slightly diminished bit of pork. Dori shook his head patiently as Nori threw up his hands in surrender, but before either brother could think of a solution little Ori inched his own plate over until it was between them. 

"You can share mine," he offered kindly. "I can't chew so well either, so Dori makes mine a bit softer than Nori's." Correctly reading the dubious expression Bilbo bore, he hurriedly added, "don't worry, it's not soft like Dori's. I don't like soft food."  
Satisfied, Bilbo took a hesitant bite, his small face breaking into a smile of content. This food was just right. A little different than what mama made, but close enough that he would happily eat the portion Ori had shuffled over to him. Quiet sighs from the elder brothers gave voice to their relief.

* * *

  
Finally satiated, Dori announced that it was nearing bath time. As the eldest usually went first, he began to fill the wooden tub before the hearth with the water he had been heating over the fire. It steamed faintly, and Dori smiled in anticipation of the loosening of muscles. He was just climbing in when he realized that Bilbo was undressing at the same time, until the small hobbit stood at the edge, watching him hopefully. "Papa always has a bath with me, because I can't swim," he explained softly. 

Dori glanced down into the tub. It was small, barely of a size for him to stretch out, but he supposed it might look intimidating to a little hobbit who was used to being chaperoned in the water. Face softening in understanding, he reached out and tugged the hobbit over the rim, but the minute the small feet touched water he shrieked and began struggling to get away. Dori nearly dropped him, such was his surprise, and he bit back a curse before setting the now shrinking hobbit back on the floor. "Too hot!" Bilbo wailed, just as Dori was about to demand the cause for his unprecedented outburst.

"He can bathe with me," Nori called out, so Bilbo sat down to wait when Dori nodded in agreement and turned to his nightly ritual. He took his time, knowing well that his brother would not complain no matter how cold the water when he was done. Nori entertained the little ones in the background, telling them a soft story, and Dori smiled over his faint amusement to see that Ori had joined the hobbit in stripping bare, the hearth more than enough to keep them warm. Little ones had no shame, he thought to himself with a wry shake of the head, before figuring that in the end it mattered little. They were both lads, so it wasn't as if there was anything unusual to see, or any uncomfortable conversations to be caused by the situation.

Once Dori was at last finished he nodded to Nori, getting out and swiftly toweling himself dry before donning some comfortable sleepwear in preparation for bed. Nori was quick to take his place, beckoning to the hobbit to follow after. Bilbo went with more care this time, not allowing himself to be hoisted up until he had checked the water with a small hand, and it was a good thing, for he yelped nearly as loud as the first time, looked wounded. "Too cold," he pouted, decisively sitting himself back down on the rug. Nori had an almost unmanly giggle at the sensitivities of hobbits before getting to work with soap and sponge.

He finished far quicker than his brother, not one to waste his time in the tub, and he took a bucket to it to scoop out half of the water. Bit by bit it was emptied, and the missing water replaced with freshly heated liquid, until it was at the perfect temperature for Ori. While he got himself ready for sleeping, Dori took it upon himself to usher both boys into the tub, and this time there were no protests. They were soon splashing about happily, and helping to wash each others backs. This was a new experience for Bilbo, and he found he quite liked having someone his own size to share with.

* * *

  
When at last they were dried and clothed, Bilbo now clad in a spare set of Ori's woolen pajamas, the decision to go to bed was unanimous. The little ones were yawning thickly, their eyes drooping from a long day of excitement. Dori elected to share his own bed with little Bilbo, thinking the young one might be missing the comfort of a parent, and it seemed he was right, for the hobbit went willingly enough.

For a sleep that had started out smoothly however, it did not continue to be so. Bilbo tossed and turned restlessly, pressed against Dori's side by the fact that the large dwarf had created a dip in the soft bed. He seemed unable to get comfortable, and the movements were soon added to by small sounds of distress. Dori sat up, noting that even in his half sleep Bilbo was trying to lie on his back with no success. Every time he rolled over he was sent right back up against Dori, and this was followed by a whimper of discontent.

"What's the matter?" Nori whispered quietly, trying not to wake Ori who had already fallen asleep.

"I think my bed is too soft," Dori returned. "Would you take him brother?"

Nori slipped out from his covers, padding silently across the space that divided them to scoop up the still wriggling hobbit. Grimacing slightly at the forced juggling act, he managed to get Bilbo over to his own bed without fully waking the hobbit, but the desired result still did not present itself. At first Bilbo had gone rigid, flat on his back as the brothers had assumed he wanted to be, but he shortly rolled over and began kneading at the mattress with his fists, as if he could soften the hard surface like one would a stubborn bit of clay.

This went on for some moments, both brothers waiting to see if he would settle. "No luck?" Dori called softly.

Nori shook his head in denial, turning to gaze at Ori's bed thoughtfully. It was smaller, but he knew it was cozier than theirs, and even though it would be a tight fit he thought there might be just enough room. After all, Bilbo was very small. Decision made, he got up once more, shifting his younger brother over slightly before placing the hobbit at his side. Bilbo wriggled only a little, before letting out a soft sigh and settling at last, and even when Ori rolled over the hobbit barely reacted, snuggling down into the quilts with a small hand draped across his chest. Quiet descended, and the brothers slept.

* * *

  
It was barely dawn when a tired and apologetic hobbit woman knocked on the door to their cabin, asking after her wayward son, and no one was gladder than Belladonna Took nee Baggins to wrap her arms around a delighted Bilbo, nearly weeping in gratitude as she listened to the tale of his day with dwarves.


End file.
